COVID-19
UPDATE: CHANGES TO FERNLEA SERVICES DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) - 9/11/20
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Fernlea Day Respite reopened in Emerald on the 4th November and we will open in our new Pakenham premises on Friday the 13th November.
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We will be limiting our numbers at each centre in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines including staff and volunteers. An attendance log of all people attending facilities will be kept to enable tracing, should it be necessary. We have also developed a comprehensive plan for social distancing and enhanced infection control measures.
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In-Home Care:
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We continue to provide in-home care services for our clients. Our direct care staff operate under increased infection control measures they must take, and have been provided with additional training in infection control, to help keep our day respite guests and in-home clients as safe as possible.
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Op Shop
Our Op Shop reopened on Monday 2nd November under COVID-19 guidelines and COVID Safe Plan template.
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Administration:
Fernlea’s admin office continues to work from home under COVID-19 guidelines. The phones have been diverted and staff will continue to have access to and respond to their work emails. All meetings, including Board meetings will be conducted by teleconference.
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COVID-19 & The CHSP - Information for Clients, Families & Carers
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The CHSP is an entry-level home support program. It helps people over 65 years old to live safe and independent lives in their own homes and communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over 50 years are also eligible for the CHSP. Details
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COVID-19 IDENTIFYING THE SYMPTONS
Prevention and management of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) in the healthcare and social assistance industry
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Information about managing the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in clinical and non-clinical settings, including patient transport. Website
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A FERNLEA MESSAGE ABOUT SAFETY IN RELATION TO COVID:
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We have been hearing such devastating news recently in the media about the lack of safety in aged care, and the lack of preparedness and preventative measures in relation to COVID-19.
While Fernlea does not provide residential aged care, we do provide care and support services to people in their own homes, who have life-limiting illness and compromised immune systems, and so are especially vulnerable during times like this.
It is therefore timely to reassure everyone that Fernlea takes considerable measures to keep those vulnerable people safe.
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Fernlea In-Home Care has continued to operate throughout COVID-19, as an essential service. Fernlea House, our centre-based day respite service, is now being delivered one-on-one within guests' homes for those who request it, rather than them needing to come to our centre, which would present a much higher risk to them.
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At the very beginning of this pandemic, we put in place a series of heightened infection control measures to ramp up safety and prevent cross-infection, and these have been adjusted along the way according to changing government and health authority requirements.
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Our staff have undertaken additional training, including infection control training provided by the Commonwealth Department of Health.
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Reminder emails are sent, and phone calls from our clinical Nurse Manager are made regularly to our front line staff, to acknowledge and support them in their work, and to remind them of the ongoing need for vigilance, especially as this pandemic drags on.
Our staff are acutely aware of the need to keep adhering to these strict infection control measures in order to keep themselves, our clients and their carers as safe as possible.
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We are hopeful that the more stringent measures of the Stage 4 lockdown recently introduced by the state government will result in the virus coming under control as soon as possible. However, please be assured that Fernlea will continue to take the issue of safety extremely seriously and will continue to take all the steps necessary for as long as this situation continues.
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Sue McIvor, CEO Fernlea Community Care Inc & Pamela Smithard, Nurse Manager, Fernlea Community Care Inc